Khan Academy is a non-profit[4] educational organization created in 2006 by educator Salman Khan to provide "a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere".[5] The organization produces micro lectures in the form of YouTube videos.[6] In addition to micro lectures, the organization's website features practice exercises and tools for educators. All resources are available for free to anyone around the world.

In late 2004, Khan began tutoring his cousin Nadia who needed help with math using Yahoo!'s Doodle notepad. When other relatives and friends sought similar help, he decided it would be more practical to distribute the tutorials on YouTube.[8][9] Their popularity there and the testimonials of appreciative students prompted Khan to quit his job in finance as a hedge fund analyst at Connective Capital Management in 2009, and focus on the tutorials (then released under the moniker "Khan Academy") full-time.[9]

The project is funded by donations. Khan Academy is a 501(c)(3)not-for-profit organization,[4] now with significant backing from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Ann and John Doerr, the Brazil-based Lemann Foundation, and Google. In 2010, Google announced it would give the Khan Academy $2 million for creating more courses and for translating the core library into the world’s most widely spoken languages, as part of their Project 10100.[10] In 2012, Google's first employee, Craig Silverstein, left there and joined the Khan Academy.[11] In 2013, the Mexico-based Carlos Slim Foundation made a donation to Khan Academy to expand its Spanish library of videos.[12] In 2015, to enable anytime, anywhere learning for people across the world, AT&T contributed $2.25 million to Khan Academy to fund development of a new mobile learning platform and app. [13]

The Khan Academy started with Khan remotely tutoring one of his cousins interactively using Yahoo! Doodle images. Based on feedback from his cousin, additional cousins began to take advantage of the interactive, remote tutoring. In order to make better use of his and their time, Khan transitioned to making YouTube video tutorials.[21] Drawings are now made with a Wacom tablet and before the free natural drawing application SmoothDraw, but now Sal Khan uses ArtRage and recorded with screen capture software from Camtasia Studio.[22]

All videos (hosted via YouTube) are available through Khan Academy's own website (khanacademy.org), which also contains many other features such as progress tracking, practice exercises, and a variety of tools for teachers in public schools. Logging into the site can be done via a Google or a Facebook account for those who do not want to create a separate Khan Academy account. The material can also be accessed through Khan Academy's own mobile applications,[23] which can be found free of charge in App Store and Windows Store.

The videos show step-by-step doodles and diagrams on an electronic blackboard.[24][25] Not-for-profit groups have distributed offline versions of the videos to rural areas in Asia, Latin America, and Africa.[8][26]

Khan Academy also provides an adaptive web-based exercise system that generates problems for students based on skill and performance.[27] Khan believes his academy presents an opportunity to overhaul the traditional classroom by using software to create tests, grade assignments, highlight the challenges of certain students, and encourage those doing well to help struggling classmates.[9] The tutorials are touted as helpful because, among other factors, they can be paused by students while classroom lectures can not.[28]

Khan Academy has been criticized because Salman Khan does not have a background in pedagogy.[29] Statements made in some videos have also been questioned.[30] In response to these criticisms, the organization has fixed errors in its videos, expanded its faculty and built a network of content specialists.[30]

In 2010, Google's Project 10100 provided $2 million to support the creation of more courses, to allow for translation of the Khan Academy's content, and to allow for the hiring of additional staff.[39]

In November 2011, the Khan Academy received a $5 million grant from the Ireland-based O'Sullivan Foundation.[40]

In April 2012, the founder and executive director of Khan Academy, Salman Khan, was listed among the Time 100 Most Influential People for 2012[41]

Khan was one of five winners of the 2014 Heinz Award. His award was in the area of "Human Condition." [42]

In July 2014, the U.S. Department of Education launched a $3 million randomized-control trial to gauge the effectiveness of Khan Academy.[43] The trial will focus on mathematics and will take place during the 2015–2016 school year.[44]

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